Little Sisters
by Dreaming 11
Summary: I'm reeaally bad at summaries, but . . . Aang, Katara, and Sokka, as well as Appa, have been captured by Azula. They need to escape and get back to the others before Azula tortures Aang to death. Literally. But they need outside help to escape...COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Avatar: the Last Airbender**

"Aaahh..." Aang moaned, grimacing in pain. He had shifted, causing the heavy iron manacles to tighten around his already chafed wrists.

Blinking drug indcuded sleep from his eyes, he looked around, careful not to shift his hands too much. He gathered that he was in a small cell, hands chained tightly to the wall above him, feet bound painfully to the steel wall. Suddenly, Aang's head jerked up and his eyes flashed open.

_Katara! Sokka! Tofh! Zuko! Iroh! Where was everybody!?_

Aang looked around, searching for any sign that would tell him where his friends were. The sudden movements caused his chains to rattle loudly, gripping his wrists and ankles painfully. Alerted by the sound, a guard slid open a small opening in the door and peeked in. Seeing that Aang was awake and strugglin, he quickly hurried off to inform Azula.

A few minutes later, the door clanged open and Azula stood in the doorway, her fists propped on her hips, eyes narrowed with anticipation, and cold, ruthless lips curled up into a devious smile.

"Well what have we here?"

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In a different cell, two water tribe teens conversed in harsh whispers.

"We have to concentrate on how to get out of here," Sokka said.

"Where in the world is HERE?!" shot back Katara.

"How am I supposed to know!" Sokka cried, a bewildered expression on his face.

"We can't leave until we find out where Aang is!" Katara whispered vehemenatly.

"How about we wait until we find out more about where we are and what Azula's going to do to us?"

"Well we're obviously in Azula's ship. She was the one who captured us, where ELSE would we be?!"

Sokka sighed and gave up, it was no use arguing with his younger sister when she was in a mood. Girls.

"At least Toph, Iroh, Zuko, and that walking stomach, Momo are free," he suggested softly in a vain attempt to cheer up his sister. It wasn't like her to be so pessimistic.

"Yeah, but we don't know where they are, Aang's probably in some seperate cell on this infernal ship, and who knows where Appa is!"

Sokka was about to try to say something reassuing when a slot in the door slid open and a fire nation guard peered in.

"Shut it you two!"

The two water tribe siblings glared.

_It's not like there's much more we can do,_ Katara thought, _I'm chained to the wall so tightly I can't move much less bend and Sokka's legs are chained to a huge iron ball that looks like it weighs as much as Appa does._

Sinking back against her bonds in misery, Katara sighed.

**Author's Note: I know I have another story that I need to be working on, but I just had this sudden idea and I need to get part of it written down before I forget. More will come soon! Promise! Please reveiw . . . . **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Avatar: the Last Airbender.**

Azula threw the door open, smirking when the clang of the door against the steel wall of the cell made Aang jump against his bonds. Behind her stood two masked, face-less guards, firebenders, no doubt. Standing to the right, but a bit behind Azula was a little girl. A bit younger than Aang's twelve years. Ten, perhaps.

_Why am I thinking this? It's just a little girl. I should be much more worried about how Azula's going to torture me...._

Aang's eyes widened in fear when he saw the cold, ruthless anticipation in Azula's eyes.

"I hope you're comfortable, Avatar," the princess spit out the word "Avatar" as if it were a foul tasting tea.

Aang merely looked up at her, eyes blank, trying to conceal his fear, trying to live up to his title.

"Where is my brother?" Azula's voice changed quickly to a frightening severity. Bracing himself for the retribution that was sure to come, Aang stayed silent.

A flash of cold fury lit in Azula's liquid topaz eyes before the emotion disappeared swiftly behind her cold mask.

**CRACK!**

Azula's leg spun out, whistling through the air before it landed with the deafening crack of breaking bone on Aang's leg.

"AAHHH!!!" Aang screamed.

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"Aang!" Tears rained down Katara's face when she heard Aang's desperate cry of pain. "They're hurting him, Sokka! They're hurting AANG!" Whirling her head around to look pleadingly at her brother.

Sokka didn't know what to do. He was the leader! The idea guy! But he was fresh out of plans. He shook his head sadly, flinching when another cry of pain sounded.

The two siblings could do nothing. Simply pray that Aang would be all right, and wincing with every cry.

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"Tell me,"

Aang shook his head violently.

Azula toed Aang's broken leg, stopping when he shrieked in pain.

"Tell me," she repeated.

When Aang refused, she simply lit a flame on the tip of her finger. Tracing her finger down Aang's arm, the flame burning a long, thin welt on his skin, she leaned in, her lips almost touching his ear.

"Where. Is. Your. Camp." each word punctuated by a slight flare in her fire.

Roaring with pain. Ah, the pain! Aang screamed and screamed, struggling against his bonds. Soon, a sheen of cold sweat broke out over Aang's skin. Behind both of them, the little girl flinched.

When Aang refused to give her the information Azula wanted, she made a fist, snuffing out her flame and straightening up.

"Don't worry, there are **plenty** of ways to break you,"

As she left, Azula casually tossed a comment over her shoulder at the guards.

"Oh, and by the way. No food for either of the three prisoners. And only half a cup of water a day. We can't have them dying on us, now can we?"

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Azula walked calmly into the cell. Katara and Sokka both glared up at her.

"Did you, by any chance, hear the screams of your pathetic airbender? He's goiing to suffer much pain. And there's **nothing**you can do about it," Azula hissed.

Trying to ignore what was being said to her, Katara glared into the air behind Azula. Out in the hallway, flanked by Azula's two guards, stood a little girl. She looked a lot like Azula. Topaz eyes, pale skin, ebony black hair bound up out of her way in exactly the same way Azula's was. The two differences were that the same sharp features on the little girl's face that were on Azula's were softened by child-like curves and her eyes were blank, no trace of malice or cruelty in them, but no kindness either.

Suddenly, a sharp stinging sensation on her face brought Katara's attention back to Azula.

"Hey! You leave my sister alone!" Sokka growled, protesting the man-handling of his sister.

"How dare you ignore me, peasant!" Azula growled, herself completely ignoring Sokka.

The insult stung worse than the slap and Katara found her voice.

"I. Dare."

A lesser woman would have growled and shrieked with rage, but Azula only simmered.

"You'll be sorry, peasant," the princess said calmly as she walked away, slamming the steel door behind her.

After Azula left, Katara and Sokka sank into silence. It was broken when Sokka's stomach protested loudly.

"You think they'll feed us?" Sokka asked. Katara shrugged, too tired inside to rant at her broter over the thought that he could think of food at a time like this.

"Hey! You! Guard!" Sokka yelled. Katara rolled her eyes, not bothering to stop him. After all, there wasn't any way the situation could become worse.

The slot in the door slit open and a guard peered in.

"What do you want, scum?"

Ignoring the insult, Sokka got straight to the point.

"Are you guys gonna feed us?"

"No," came the curt reply before the slot slammed shut.

"Well that was successful," Sokka remarked.

**Author's Note: Eeeh...I've never written a torture scene. Please reveiw and tell me if it was good or not! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Avatar: the Last Airbender.**

Alone in her own private chambers on her ship, Azula growled. She knew the Avatar wouldn't have broken so soon, no, she was expecting that. It would have been to easy if he had broken after only one session. What was bothering her was that _stupid, waterbending peasant_! Besides her father, nobody insulted the princess and was still in the habit of breathing. Such insolent behavior would not go unpunished. Perhaps she could punish the peasant and break the Avatar a little more? Yes...the Avatar did seem like someone who cared for their friends more than themselves. A slow, dangerous grin spread across Azula's cold face.

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Katara and Sokka were silent in their cell. They did not have the luxuary of extra energy to spend on frivolous, pointless talk. Both water tribe siblings were immersed in their own minds, trying to come up with some means of escape. Suddenly, both minds were jerked out of their brainstorming when the cell door swung open with an ominous clang. Azula strode in, followed by that blank-faced version of her.

"Hello, peasants. I've brought some friends with me," she smirked. Azula savored the expression on Katara and Sokka's faces when she yanked on the thick chain in her hands, jerking a mangled, in pain, and devastatingly thin Avatar into view.

"Katara, Sokka," Aang used up two precious breathes as he whispered their names.

"Aang! Your leg!" Sokka cried. Katara's breath caught in her throat as she took in Aang's mangled leg. It looked as if it had been broken, then allowed to heal wrongly on its own. Which it had been.

"It's ok, Aang! Everything is all right! It's ok, it's ok, it's ..." Katara's voice trailed off in sobs as she tried to comfort not only Aang, but herself.

Smiling, Azula chained Aang to the wall.

"So sorry to break up this touching reunion," the sarcasm dripping from her voice made Katara want to strangle her, "But there's someone I'd like you to meet,"

A huge, heavily muscled man trotted swiftly into the room, a leering grin on his face as his eyes traveled appreciatively up and down Katara's figure. Ignoring Sokka's shouted protests, the man leaned in close to Katara. She could smell his foul breath as he breathed in her face. He rested his hands on Katara's sides, slowly running them down the length of her body. Katara sucked in a shuddering breath, to afraid to voice her protests. Sokka's argumentative voice had faded as Azula casually burned his arm. Suddenly, the gentle pressure disappeared and a painful blow landed in her gut. Katara's body struggled to double up in pain, but the chains were unrelenting. All the breath left her body in one gasp. The beating continued, bruises blossoming all over Katara's body. Sokka gritted his teeth against the agony of his own burn, but screamed for the beating of his sister to stop. The eyes of the little girl behind Azula were swimming with compassion and fear, but were hastily wiped blank when Azula turned on her. Thin trickles of tears traveled down Aang's face.

"Please," he begged, "Please!"

Azula merely chuckled, enjoying his pain. What seemed like ages later, Azula ordered the man to stop. Yanking Aang's chain behind her, she left the room, smirking.

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"Katara!" Sokka cried, after Azula left the room.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she finally managed through her tears. Her beaten, bruised, and malnourished body sagged limply against her chains.

************************************************************

"No, no" Aang breathed, after he had been chained back up in his cell, "Katara,"

************************************************************

Back in her chambers, Azula laid back against the red silk sheets of her four poster bed. She uttered no words, just smiled a malicious grin.

**Author's Note: Yay! I think I'm pretty much done with the torturing. That was getting really depressing. Please reveiw!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Avatar: the Last Airbender.**

The golden light from the torches stationed at regular intervals down the hall cast flickering shadows against the fire nation tapestries and cold steel walls. The loud sound of the sleeping guard's raucous snores was the only sound that disturbed the still silence.

It was near the third hour of the morning when a small cloaked figure, hood pulled firmly up, tip-toed into the hall where the prisoners were kept. The figure stepped silently over the sleeping guard and nimbly plucked the key ring from his hand. Smiling beneath its hood, the creature slipped over to the water tribe sibling's cell. After carefully inserting the right key into the door, a pale, delicate looking hand reached out from beneath the cloak and pulled the cell door open on well-oiled hinges. Taking a breath, the slight form slipped inside.

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When the cloaked shape had begun fumbling at their door, Katara and Sokka's heads whipped up, trying to ignore their bruises, and watching its every move. When it stepped inside, Katara's breath caught in her throat. It was too small to be Azula....who was it?

The figure stayed huddled by the entrance before slipping back its hood.

"You!" Katara whispered harshly, "The little girl behind Azula," Thinking to herself, Katara noted that the little girl's face wasn't blank anymore, simply filled with uncertainty and fear.

Sokka only glared. Fire Nation. The source of all his troubles. Even their children were no doubt scum. Especially ones that looked like Azula.

The girl took a breath before explaining in hushed tones.

"My name is Aza. I'm really sorry for what my sister did, I just didn't know how to stop it!" the words tumbled out of her mouth and the child looked up at them, shame, pleading, and undeniable sincerity in her eyes.

"Azula's your sister!" Sokka cried, forgetting to be quiet.

"Shhh!" Katara hushed.

"It's all right. I slipped a sleeping capsule into the guard's evening wine earlier. He'll be out all night," Aza explained, "Here, I brought you this,"

In her trembling hands, she held out two small loaves of bread.

"I couldn't hide anything bigger under my cloak," she explained.

"Please," Katara rasped out, both her and Sokka's eyes fixed longingly on the only sustenance that had entered their cell in two days.

Hesitantly, as if afraid they might hurt her, Aza stumbled forward towards Sokka, who did not have his hands bound, one of the loaves. Keeping an eye on the Azula's sister, he tore ravenously into his bread. Next, she held out the other loaf in front of Katara's mouth. The waterbender, after staring carefully into the girl's eyes to make sure this wasn't some cruel new torture of Azula's that would result in the bread being snatched away at the last moment, she bit of a chunk of the bread. Chewing faster and faster, Katara swallowed down every bite that was held out by Aza.

After Aza helped both prisoners get a drink of water Katara looked at the trembling girl.

"Thank you," Katara mumbled, "Why, though?"

In a shaky voice, Aza replied, "What my sister is doing is wrong. I'm going to help you escape. I know where your bison is, he's in a holding pen near my room and he's being taken care of very well. And I can help the Avatar get out with you,"

Sokka and Katara were silent for a moment, trying to see if they could trust her. Finally, after exchanging meaningful looks, Sokka answered.

"I have a plan," he began slowly, "If you would help us, we could escape. What's in it for you, though?"

Aza dropped her golden gaze. "I just want to come with you. I can't stay with my sister any longer, I'm afraid I'll end up like her,"

Sokka nodded acceptingly, "All right. Can you have our bison out of his stables tomorrow night? Then come unlock us and our friend and we'll fly off this ship,"

Aza nodded. "I'm pretty sure I can do that,"

Katara smiled at her, "Thank you,"_ Well, that's two fire siblings that aren't evil. Who knew?_

Aza smiled shyly. "I'm going to visit the Avatar, to bring him some food. Is there anything you want me to tell him?"

"Yes, please. Could you tell him that we're here for him? And tell him the plan,"

Nodding, Aza began to slip out of the cell. Before the door closed though, Katara called out softly.

"My name is Katara, by the way. My brother is Sokka,"

After the door closed, silent as a whisper, brother and sister exchanged looks.

"Huh, who knew? Zuko has two little sisters..." Sokka grinned, floating in the pleasantly hopeful mood the child had left in her wake.

**Author's Note: Dun dun dun dun! (Dramatic music) The escape begins! :D I wasn't sure if I should include Aza's visit to Aang, but I decided not to since I really want to get this bit posted and I don't think I can write anymore right now since I'm reaaaally tired. Tell me what you think about what I did with Aza and who she is and all that.....**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Avatar: the Last Airbender.**

The cell door slid open silently. A small hooded head peeked around the steel. Seeing no attempt to attack her, Aza slipped into the room. She peered at the Avatar, who seemed to be ignoring her. Standing a few feet in front of him, she whispered.

"Avatar? Are you all right?"

When the Aang gave no response, she tried again.

"I'm not going to hurt you,"

Silence.

"Are you awake?" she finally asked, prodding him with a tentative finger. Frustrated, she shook him gently by the shoulders, careful not to shake his mangled leg.

"AAH!" cried a startled Aang. On instinct born from living in the wild for months and being on the hit lists of several people, Aang immediately tried to shift into a bending stance, forgetting momentarily he was held captive -- weak and bound -- on Azula's ship. He was quickly reminded of this fact when the chains bit painfully into his wrists and ankles.

"AAH!" he winced in pain. Aza shrank back, afraid because she had inadvertently caused him pain.

Aang's startled eyes blinked back the pain and focused blearily on the cloaked girl standing in front of him, looking with concern in her amber eyes as she peered out from beneath her gray cowl. Amber eyes.

A sharp intake of breath sounded from Aang as he instinctually shrank away from her. That face, those eyes, that hair. A miniature version of Azula stood in front of him and in his muddled mind Aang thought it was Azula.

"Avatar, sir?" the small Azula asked, concern and uncertainty in her voice. _Azuala, concerned and uncertain?_

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm very sorry about what Azula did, I just didn't know what to do 'cause she's my big sister and all and my name is Aza by the way and yo-" Aza's reckless and nervous blabbering was interrupted by Aang.

"Stop," he said. He had realized that this wasn't Azula, just a frightened little girl who seemed kind enough. Shocked that she had actually stopped, he took a deep breath, wincing as his ribs heaved against his sallow skin.

"Let me get this straight. You are Aza. Azula is your elder sister. Hence you are also Zuko's sister," he paused here to see her reaction. She nodded to each of his short statements.

"I also went to visit your friends. The girl, Katara, her name was, said to tell you that they are here for you," she added.

Aang felt a brief elation soar in his heart.

"Are they all right?"

"Well...." Aza was uncertain how to put this nicely, "Their both okay. Katara has a lot of bruises, but the boy -- Sokka -- is fine. They're both just a bit weak with hunger. I brought them some bread and water, I brought you some too!"

Her mention of food reminded Aang of the painful gnawing sensation in the pit of his stomach.

Out of the dark folds of her cloak, Aza pulled out her last small loaf. Shyly, she held it out for him as he ate it in frenzied gulps. When it was gone, she took back her hand and brought out her skin of water. She poured the last third of the water down his throat.

His sandpaper-dry throat quenched and the pain in his stomach dulled, Aang thanked her.

Happy to have helped, Aza continued.

"Sokka also came up with a plan. I'm supposed to bring the big bison -- he's okay," she added quickly, seeing the panicked expression on his face,"I'm supposed to bring the big bison out of his stable and then come get you and your friends,"

Normally, Aang would have jumped twenty feet in the air on a gust of wind, but as it was, he managed a smile.

Almost afraid, Aza added, "Your friends said I could come with you guys.....is that okay with you?"

Aang considered. It would be harder to feed an extra person, but she was small and as the Avatar, he couldn't very well leave her in this dump. She seemed like a genuinely nice person and he knew it would feed on his conscience if she ended up cruel and twisted like Azula. Plus, Katara and Sokka had already agreed.

Decided, Aang nodded, and immediately knew that he had made the right decision. The little girl smiled. Not a shy, tentative smile, but a full out grin. Her eyes lit up with joy and a glow seemed to wash over her features in a way that would never happen on Azula's.

"Thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU!" she whispered ferverntly. Aang smiled.

"My name is Aang, by the way,"

"Thank you, Aang!" she chirped before nearly skipping out of the cell, "I'll be back tomorrow night!"

**Author's Note: At first, I wasn't going to include Aza talking to Aang but then I decided that was kinda important since usually the rest of the group can argue all they want but Aang has the final say. Please reveiw!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Avatar: the Last Airbender.**

Aza snuggled deeper into the soft mattress and down pillows on her bed. She was already halfway asleep, but her mind was still celebrating her oh-so-near escape from her twisted sister. Aza was now drunk on a child-like elation. She floated off into a deep slumber filled with happy dreams of flying bald monks, blue eyes, shifting water, and large furry bison.

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Aang shivered against the cool steel wall he was chained too. The little amount of sustenance his group's (Team Avatar, as Sokka had dubbed them) new ally had managed to smuggle in had helped, but now, several hours later, the hunger and thirst had returned with a new intensity.

The young Avatar was suddenly disturbed from the ramblings of his exhausted and muddled mind when Azula strode in.

"Hello. Avatar. How are you feeling today? Willing to give up any information?" a cold sneer formed on Azula's face as she spoke to the helpless boy.

Aang ignored her, choosing instead to glare fiercely at the masked guards who stood out in the walkway. Aang used the glare to disguise the quick flick of his eyes down to see that Aza was sandwiched between the two guards, her face carefully blank.

"No? Perhaps this will help..." Azula ran her hand softly, dangerously, down his arm. On the last word, her fingers clenched around his arm, her sharpened nails, painted blood-red, digging viciously into his flesh. Azula increased the force of her "persuasion" and finally her nails broke skin. Five droplets of blood welled at the puncture points and ran in thin rivulets down his arm.

Aang bit back a scream and doggedly did his best to ignore her and the pain.

Finally, growing frustrated, Azula struck. Both of her hands darted forward to encase his neck, forming an iron cage. She tightened the cage, her long, thin fingers pressing into Aang's windpipe. The pressure increased and Aang began to feel faint, his lungs burning, darkness swimming at the edges of his vision.

"NO!" Aza could stand it no longer. She was tired of watching and doing nothing while Azula hurt people like this. The Avatar was a good person! He had done nothing to deserve this!

With the one, defiant word on her lips, Aza slipped forward, as fast and as dangerous as a viper. She jabbed Azula twice, hard. One at her neck, the other at her side. _Huh, I'm glad I paid attention to Ty Lee's lessons. _

The Fire Nation princess fell to the ground, paralyzed. From her prone position on the floor, Azula's eyes widened as she stared up into the gaze of her little sister.

"Sorry, sister," Aza set her jaw and turned away. Just then, the guards rushed in, preparing to defend their Princess from her wild younger sister. Their guilt for attacking a child was severely eclipsed by their fear of what Azula would do to them if they just stood by.

Grimacing, Aza drew out two short lengths of wood. Each was about as long as her arm and was a deep mahogany brown. The strong wood had been polished over the years by many fingers gripping it. Now, they sat, one in each hand, in the young Aza's grip.

The two guards sent out a sizable burst of flame. Spinning the two short staffs, Aza expertly batted them away.

"What's wrong? You know my staffs don't burn, you've trained with me plenty of times," the young princess-turned-traitor taunted. With a disarmingly innocent grin, Aza tucked herself into a ball and tumbled into the guards' legs, knocking them to the ground. She leaped up and with two quick raps of her staffs, rendered both guards unconscious. Aza fumbled about the guards' belts until she finally pulled out a key ring. Sliding her staffs back into the straps that normally held them to her back, she hopped over to the Avatar. After a precious moment spent figuring out which was the right key, Aza unlocked Aang and grunted as he fell on top of her.

"Hey, umm.....sorry 'bout not following the plan," she apologized as she pulled the Avatar's arm over her shoulder and helped him to stand, though supporting most of his weight.

"S'kay" Aang mumbled as the two stumbled down the walkway, going as quickly as they could towards Sokka and Katara's cell. Fumbling with the locks again, Aza finally slid the cell door open and pulling Aang behind her, stepped inside.

"Hi! We're kinda-sorta-really escaping now instead of tonight. Azula's temporarily paralyzed, the two guards she had with her are unconscious, but not for long, and more guards are probably on the way," Aza explained as she quickly unlocked Sokka and Katara.

Sokka cussed bitterly under his breath.

"What was that?" Aza asked, an innocent expression on her face.

"Nothing, let's go," Sokka replied as he supported Katara.

"Hurry up," Katara muttered. She and Aang were the two weakest in the group. He had been tortured repeatedly and she had been beaten. Thankfully, Sokka was still in decent shape, though weak with starvation. Together, the four tried to make their way down the hall before the guards came. No such luck.

"Halt!" the one in front called. Before they could take another two steps, the group was surrounded on both sides by a highly trained, highly skilled, collection of firebenders that wanted them either dead or unable to move. Now it was Aza who began to swear colorfully under her breath in language that Sokka had never even heard before. He gave her a startled look.

"What? This is what happens when you surround impressionable ten year olds with sailors," Aza defended herself.

The first ranks of firebenders were just about to attack when Aang summoned what was left of his energy and breathed out a single word.

"Appa..."

"Appa!" Sokka cried. In a moment, Sokka and Aza were screaming for the bison at the top of their lungs while the guards looked on, perplexed. Had they suddenly all lost their minds? What was this strange word they were screaming?

In a chamber not too far away, Appa stirred. His human's friends were shouting for him. That meant they needed help, and where they were, so was his human. Rumbling, Appa charged forward, in his rage tearing through several sheets of steel.

With a roar, the giant, flying, ten-ton bison charged on to the scene, scattering panicked firebenders and leaving demolished steel in his wake.

"Appa! You good old furball!" Sokka cried as he heaved Katara in toAppa's saddle.

Motioning for Aza to hand him Aang, Sokka pulled the weak boy up. He leaped on to Appa's head, taking hold of the reins. He was just about to give the "yip yip!" signal when he noticed the young Fire Nation girl was still standing hesitantly by Appa.

"Come on! We have to go!" Sokka yelled in impatience.

Sighing with relief, Aza clambered into the saddle and settled herself in. _I thought they were going to leave me...._

Gripping Katara and Aang tightly to make sure they didn't fall off, Aza hooked her feet into the side of Appa's saddle, ready to go.

"Yip yip!" With a heaving groan, Appa flew out, straight in to the cool air of the swiftly arriving evening. Suddenly, a flash of lightning reached up for them, but they were already out of its reach.

"AAARGHGH!" With an enraged screech, Azula sent bolt after bolt of lightning after the bison, though none found their mark. Livid with rage, Azula could only watch as the second traitorous sibling in her family, along with the Avatar, escaped.

**Author's Note: Woah, that certainly didn't turn out as I planned. I wasn't going to have a fight scene and now I do. Tell me what you think, I've nver done one before. And yes, I know its slightly unrealistic to have Appa barging through steel walls, but that's okay. You guys can deal with it. Please reveiw! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Avatar: the Last Airbender.**

Aza would have let out an exhilarated whoop if she had not felt the need to maintain a respectful silence in the face of everyone else's pain. Regardless, shefelt a joyful happiness fill her up at both the marvelous feeling of flight and the long awaited freedom from Azula.

Once Appa had settled into a steady, rhythmic pattern, Aza scurried to the back of the saddle, where she had strapped in supplies earlier that day while Azula had been training with Mai and Ty Lee. Reaching past the tightly rolled up blankets, the slim girl pulled out a cloth bag. She extracted a bunch of jerky and sticking a piece in her mouth, went to offer Sokka some. She would have offered it to Aang and Katara as well, but they were both unconscious, their bodies automatically switching off to conserve what little energy they had left.

"Sokka?"

"What?"

"I brought some jerky and--"

"MEAT!" Aza never got to finish her sentence because just then Sokka reached towards her and grabbed several piece of jerky from her hand. He bit into it ravenously as Aza looked on, startled.

"Thanks," he said, when the meat was gone, "Did you by any chance bring along any medical stuff? Bandages and stuff?"

"Yeah, do you want me to start helping Aang and Katara?"

"That would be great," Sokka smiled and turned back to the reins.

Looking at Aang's numerous injuries made Aza feel a bit nauseous so she turned instead to Katara. After close examination, Aza determined that all Katara had were bruises and raw skin where the chains had chafed against her. The young princess spread a thick, herbal salve across the blue, black, and red areas and then wound bandages around Katara's wrists and ankles. Then, gritting her teeth and setting her jaw, Aza turned to Aang.

Aang had five puncture wounds from Azula's nails on his left arm, a long, thin burn down his right arm, and bruises ringing his neck along with the same chafed skin Katara had. His leg would also have to be re-broken and set properly.

Aza tended to his minor wounds as best as she could. Finally, all that was left was to re-break and set Aang's leg. Leaving Appa to steer himself, Sokka clambered over to help. Aza held Aang still and thankful that Aang was sunk deep into unconsciousness, Sokka re-broke Aang's leg and splinted it.

"There," Sokka said, and returned to his station on Appa's head, grabbing more jerky on the way. Aza settled down for a long ride. In five minutes, she was fast asleep.

**Author's Note: Sorry! I know its short. I'm kinda sad though, in a few chapters, there'll be nothing more to write about. :( **


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Avatar: the Last Airbender.**

They spent the next day flying non-stop. Aang and Katara had regained consciousness though both were still weak. Sokka sat atop Appa's head, taking over Aang's usual spot and steadily demolishing their stock of jerky. The young airbender was curled up in a pile of blankets fast asleep in a corner of the saddle. Katara was sitting next to him, watching Aza out of the corner of her eyes, though fatigue was clear due to the fact that her head kept on falling against her chest. She had forced herself to stay awake for the whole day to keep an eye on the girl thought her body cried out for sleep. The Fire Nation Princess was aware of Katara's scrutiny, but said nothing about it. The girl had plentiful reason to distrust her, so Aza pretended she hadn't noticed and doggedly watched the billowy clouds sail by.

****************************************************************

"Hey Sparky!" Toph called from her seat on the ground across from Iroh. The two of them were having a friendly game of Pai Sho over steaming cups of jasmine tea while Zuko meditated on the very edge of the clearing where they were camping.

A vein twitched above Zuko's good eye.

"I. Am. Meditating."

Iroh chuckled and Toph grinned evilly.

"I gathered. But, we need more firewood. And, seeing as how me and your esteemed Uncle here are busy, you should go get it,"

Meditation forgotten, Zuko's eyes snapped open.

"You're playing a game!" he protested.

"Ah, my young nephew, Pai Sho is not a game, but an exercise of the mind," Iroh said wisely as fragrant steam billowed up from his tea cup.

Zuko growled.

"Where's Sokka when you need him? He should be the one getting the firewood," he muttered below his breath. Toph though, with her exceptional hearing skills, answered back.

"Sokka is with Aang and Katara, going for supplies at the next village. He is being useful, like you should be,"

"It's been days! Shouldn't they be back by now?"

"Nope!" Toph exclaimed happily, as she moved a Pai Sho piece. Iroh peered at the board and stroked his beard, "The village is pretty far away, and Aang probably got distracted with giant koi fish or something, so until then, you get to do the chores,"

Zuko sighed and stalked off into the woods, not even bothering to ask about the giant koi fish.

"Darn!" Iroh exclaimed, "You win. Care for another game?"

******************************************************************

"There!" Sokka exlaimed, "Our camp!"

"Aang! Aang, wake up! We're back!" Katara cried happily as she shook the Avatar awake. Everyone was exited, relieved, and happy except for Aza. The small girl was nervous. Things were easy enough on Appa, but what would happen when she met the rest of their group? Aza shook away the thoughts and gripped tight to Appa's saddle as they spirled down in a dive.

*******************************************************************

"Toph! OUr friends have returned!" Iroh said, as he watched the giant flying bison dive towards them.

"Darn," Toph muttered. She wouldn't be able to make Zuko do the chores anymore.

With a thump, Appa landed in the clearing and folded his six legs underneath him to let his passengers off.

Iroh walked towards them, chattering happily.

"Hello! How was the village? Did you bring back the ginseng te- OH NO!" Iroh's cheery face turned into shock.

"What!? What's wrong!" Toph waved a hand wildly in front of her face to remind them that she was blind and couldn't feel their vibrations yet since they were still on Appa.

Sokka slid off Appa's head and went to help the others off, explaining as he went.

"On our way to the village, We were ambushed by Azula and her two cronies and captured. We were on her ship the last days without food and barely any water.  
Aang was tortured, Katara was beaten. We escaped yesterday,"

Katara climb out of the saddle weakly. Sokka held her steady and then passed her over to Iroh and Toph. Silently, Aza passed Aang down to Sokka as gently as she could.

"Who's that?" Iroh asked, surprise coloring his voice.

"Who's WHO?!" Toph shouted, frustrated with her inablity to "see" what, or rather, who Iroh was talking about.

"That's Aza, she helped us escape...we can.." Sokka yawned, "trust her," he finished as he collapsed on to the ground, Aang tumbling down with him.

Toph's face grew grim and Iroh's voice took on the aloof air of authority it always did in times of crisis.

"Toph, get Aang and Sokka over by the fire and get them some blankets. Katara, lie down and sleep. You all need to rest,"

"Mhm," Katara mumbled. She fell asleep as soon as her head touched the ground.

Toph stomped her foot and a bed of stone lifted the two sleeping boys into the air and deposited them neatly by the fire. As she draped blankets over her friends, Iroh hastily brewed a restoring tea.

Still feeling nervous and a bit afraid, Aza climbed silently out of the saddle and went to sit quietly by Appa.

When Iroh went to check Katara, Sokka, and Aang's wounds, he was surprised to find them already well-treated and bandaged.

"Who did this? None of them were in any condition to treat their wounds so well,"

Toph shrugged, not really caring as long as her friends were okay.

"I treated the minor wounds, but Sokka did Aang's leg," Aza answered quietly from her spot next to Appa.

Toph's unseeing eyes narrowed at the new stranger and casually tensed a hand to fire a boulder at her if she attacked. Iroh simply smiled jovially and motioned for Aza to sit across from them, though he too was wary.

Aza shyly walked over and sat.

"Your name is Aza, correct?" Iroh said.

Aza nodded.

"How is it that you came to be with our friends?" he asked.

"The whole story. And I'll be able to tell if you're lying," Though physically capable, and quite intelligent, Aza was still only a little girl and had the power of simple faith to prove it. And so, she nodded at Toph's warning words.

"Well, I- ZUKO!" At that moment, Zuko had walked back into camp, arms laden with wood. Aza had seen him and her eyes had lit up with an internal glow. She stopped mid-sentence and Zuko's arm load of wood scattered across the ground as she barreled into him. Aza wrapped her thin arms tightly around his waist and hugged him with all her strength, which was quite a lot considering she had been training with weapons ever since the girl could walk and talk simultaneously.

"Ah!" Zuko cried out in surprise and, not recognizing the hug for what it was, acted on instinct. And what with being banished and attacked and having people try to kill and/or capture him, Zuko's instincts told him to act defensively. He swept his arm around in a wide ark, creating a fan of flames that struck Aza's arm.

"OW!" Aza fell. Trying to bite back her whimpers of pain, tears streaming down her face, Aza cradled her wounded arm and tried to scooch away from him.

A moment or two later, Zuko realized what he had done. "Oh no," he breathed.

"I'm so sorry! So sorry. Are you all right?" the teen fell to his knees, bringing his face closer to her height and reached towards her.

"Zuko! This is just like when you burned my feet!" Toph cried. Turning to Aza, she said, "How is it?"

"Let me look at your arm," Iroh said. Biting her lip, Aza held out her arm for Iroh's inspection. "It will heal, do not worry. I have a burn salve that will help,"

The old man helped the little girl to her feet and walked her over back to her seat by the fire. Zuko followed at a distance. After Iroh had treated the arm, Aza wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and sat with her bandaged arm in her lap. The rest followed her example. After the four had settled down around the fire, Aza smiled a beaming grin at Zuko.

"I'm all right. It's okay, I forgive you,"

Startled that he had been forgiven so easily, and with a _smile_, Zuko muttered a thank you.

"Now, shall we get back to your explanation?" Iroh asked. Aza nodded and was about to begin speaking when Toph cut in.

"That can wait. First I want to know what in the world inspired you to hug Sparky here? And how did you know his name?"

"Sparky?" Aza asked, confusion scrawled across her face.

"Him," Toph jerked a thumb in Zuko's general direction.

"Oh," still looking perplexed at the nickname, Aza continued to say something that profoundly shocked everyone, "He's my brother,"

Toph was speechless, Iroh just stared at her, and Zuko's eyes widened in recognition.

"Aza?" he breathed.

"Yup!" oblivious to the bomb she had dropped on everyone, Aza smiled.

**Author's Note: Wow! Longest chapter I've ever written. Yay! Aza met Zuko! Explanations next chapter. :D And I think I made Zuko slightly OOC, but I think he's the kinda guy who beats himself up mentally a lot. So I think that when he burned a little girl who obviously the others trusted (to a certain extent) he was reliving the time when he burned Toph (as she points out). So yeah. Please reveiw! **


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Avatar: the Last Airbender.**

The moment of shocked silence was abruptly ended by Toph.

"You're his _sister_?! He has _two_?!" she turned to Zuko, "Why didn't you tell us?!"

"Er-um-I-It was a bit painful to talk about and I didn't see that it mattered seeing as I thought she-you-was dead!" He ended by turning on Aza.

"It's not _my_ fault!" Aza cried.

Iroh chuckled and looked on with a face of one who had seen many adolescent spats. He left them at it and simply watched until it began to escalate into violence.

"Now now," he said, motioning for Toph and Zuko to sit down. They did so and Aza scooted casually away from them and towards Iroh.

"We need to hear the whole story. Zuko, why don't you begin,"

Zuko nodded and keeping his eyes fixed firmly on the fire, began.

"When I was told my mother was with child, I wasn't too exited. Last time I had gotten a new sibling, it turned out to taunt me and surpass me at everything I tried. But, when the baby girl was born, it was just so _happy_," Here, Aza blushed, "My mother named the baby Aza, a proper Fire Nation name. As Aza grew, I baby sat and played with her whenever possible. Then, one day when I was eleven, Azula nine, and Aza five, I snuck out to play with the village children. My father found out and my punishment was to be that something I loved was to be killed. They dragged her away that night, and the next evening, the Fire Lord announced, with _great regret_, that his youngest daughter had been killed in an accident,"

"_Wow_ is that guy evil. He killed his five year old daughter to punish you!?" Toph exclaimed. Zuko sighed.

"Aza, why don't you continue the story," Iroh prompted the child.

With a sad look in her eyes, Aza spoke.

"I don't remember the earlier years, since I was small, but I always remembered my big brother, Zuko. That night, after the guards took me, they brought me to Azula's room. I asked her what was going on and why I couldn't see Zuko. She laughed and said that he had done a very bad thing and to punish him, I was to be killed. I was scared and ran to her, hiding behind her and crying for her to protect me," the bitterness in Aza's voice here was so palpable, but she continued, "She promised that she would protect me and hide me, but everybody had to think I was dead. _Especially_ Zuko. So I grew up in a hidden room built next to Azula's chambers. I grew up learning from Azula. After she realized I couldn't firebend, she wa-"

"You can't _firebend_?!" Toph exclaimed. Zuko's mouth was open as if he was going to ask the same question.

"Yeah, I can't. May I continue?"

"Sorry," Toph nodded and fell silent.

"Well, after she realized I couldn't firebend, she was disgusted. I stayed locked up in my room for a week after that. But then she started training me with all sorts of weapons. Mai and Ty Lee also taught me whenever they came to visit Azula. I never really liked knives, but I can use them," here Aza flicked her wrists and two knives flew down from her sleeves and came to a stop in her hands. She twirled them absently in her hands as she talked, "And I never was really any good at acrobatics, but I know my chi points. My favorite weapons are my staffs,"

"Wow, you've had a tough life too, haven't you?" Toph said.

"Well, not _too_ bad. I did learn a lot from Azula and I always had food and a bed," Aza shrugged.

The group was silent for a moment before Zuko abruptly stood, strode over to Aza, and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace.

Not aware of how unusual this behavior was from Zuko, Aza merely smiled and hugged him back. After a breif moment, Zuko let go of his little sister and sat down beside her. Aza leaned into his side, blinking drowsily. In a few moments, she was asleep.

Toph and Iroh talked for a few more minutes before Iroh bustled off to make tea. Zuko lifted Aza and lay her down on the ground beside Katara and spread a blanket over her before falling asleep himself. Smiling to herself, Toph walked off to an empty patch of ground and with a stomp of her foot, erected an earth tent into which she promptly crawled. A bit later, the only sound in the clearing were Sokka's loud snores and bell-crickets chirping blissfully in the tall grass.

**Author's Note: Sorry for the wait, my computer crashed but now its back up! YAY FOR EXPLANATIONS!!! Reveiw please!!!! **


	10. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I do not, and never will, own Avatar: the Last Airbender.**

The hour after dawn found the group soaring through the skies on Appa. The sky was a beautiful painted blue, puffy white clouds scudding lazily across its surface. The sun's rays warmed the living earth below.

Sokka sat atop Appa's head tearing away at the group's supply of jerky. Aang was curled up in a pile of blankets, still recovering. Momo slept perched on Aang's bald head. Katara sat reading a waterbending scroll in her corner of the saddle. Toph was sitting next to her being unusually silent. In the back of the saddle, Aza and Iroh were engaged in an animated discussion on the benefits and disadvantages of various weapons while Zukosat next to his sister, a small smile on his face.

_The End_

**Author's Note: Yay! I finally finished! Thanks to the readers that stayed with me from the beginning, you know who you are! Now that you're done reading this story, read my other ones! :D **


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